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William Eager (1629-1690)
}} Biography Scottish Ancestry There is much conjecture about the origins of William Eager (alternate spellings Auger, Augur, Eger, Agar, Ager). William's ancestry is believed to be from England, who then settled on their estates in Ireland, and married into a Scottish family. There is no record of his birth or his arrival in New England. He was deposed in 1689/90 as being age 60, making his birth year about 1629 (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 85 p 453-454, pub Boston, MA 1931.) There is strong evidence that he was one of 10,000 Scottish soldiers captured at the Battle of Dunbar September 3, 1650, by Oliver Cromwell of England, and taken to New England on the [[Scottish Migrants of the Unity| Unity]] as one of 150 Scottish Prisoners of War, who were sold as indentured servants upon arrival in early 1651. The usual term of indentured servitude was 7 years. New England Records He is first found in any New England records in 1659 when he married in Malden, MA - just after his indenture would have ended. He was mentioned in the will of William Godden (Gooden), written in 1663, which stated, "There were sums of money due him Godden from Edward Wiar and William Egar, Scotchmen..." Both of these men were included on a list of probable Unity passengers in 1651, compiled by Elizabeth French Bartlett, one of the most esteemed genealogists of her time, doing English research in England and America between 1908 and 1917. William removed from Malden to Cambridge about 1672, where his first wife died in 1679. He married his 2nd wife in Cambridge 1680, and moved to Marlborough about 1682 in the earliest days of that settlement. He was one of the original proprietors of Marlborough, and was instrumental in the purchase of the Ockoocangansett Plantation from the Indians in 1684. He settled in that colony, where he died 4 Apr 1690. Marriage & Family The names of his wives and 14 children are listed in the Malden church records and/or the will of William Eager, which was probated in 1690. 1st Marriage: 1659 Ruth Hill He was married by Captain Marshall on October 7, 1659 in Malden MA to 1) Ruth Hill (1641-1679) (daughter of Abraham and Sarah Long Hill) born 1640 in Malden. (Malden, MA Vital Records to 1850, p. 199) Ruth died in Cambridge 6 Jan 1679 and is buried there. Her headstone is inscribed "Ruth wife to William Eger, aged 39 year, Dec Jan y 6 1679". His children with Ruth Hill: #William b. and d. 1661 Malden #William b. 30 Nov 1662 Malden; d. before 1684 #Zachariah b. October 1667 Malden; d. 5 Jul 1742 Marlborough # Captain Abraham Eager - b. 11 July 1670 Malden, MA; d. 25 Oct 1734 Shrewsbury, MA; m. Lydia Woods dau. John and Lydia Rice Woods #Zerubbabel b. 8 Jun 1672 Cambridge; d. 9 Jan 1746/47 Marlborough m. Hannah Kerley 23 Mar 1698 dau. Henry and Elizabeth Ward Howe Kerley. #Martha b. 26 Oct 1674 Cambridge #Ruth b. 1 Feb 1677 Cambridge; d. 25 Dec 1768 Marlborough; m. John Banister #Sarah b. 25 Jun 1679 Cambridge 2nd Marriage: 1680 Lydia Cheever William married in Cambridge, MA, on 13 Apr 1680: 2) Lydia Cheever Barrett Cole, widow of Thomas Barrett and Arthur Cole (Coale). His children with Lydia Cheever Barrett Cole: #Margaret b. 25 May 1681, d. 1725 Cambridge. m. Isaac Manning #Mercy b. 20 Oct 1682 Marlborough #Lydia b. 20 Jun 1684 Marlborough #Capt. James b. 21 Sep 1686 Marlborough #Jacob b. 1688 Marlborough #John b. 6 Jun 1689 Marlborough, d. 18 Jan 1756 **Esther, mentioned in his will, is believed to be the dau. of Lydia Cheever and her 1st husband Thomas Barrett. References # William Eager 1629 List of Famous Descendants #George Eager, desc. of Abraham Eager; Peter Eager, desc. of Zerubbabel Eager 1996; Family records for nine generations to 1996 #History of Eager Family; Susie Eager Trotter, pub 1952 #Vital records of Malden, Cambridge, & Marlborough, MA Category:Migrants from Scotland to Massachusetts